


Tiger's Mate

by Drachegirl14



Category: Power Rangers Jungle Fury
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-10 01:26:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5563420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drachegirl14/pseuds/Drachegirl14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inali had no intentions of lusting after her Tiger Master, and she had no intentions of wanting to claim him as a mate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tiger's Mate

Sitting in the meditation gardens at sunset, Inali groaned in frustration as her thoughts again turned to her Tiger Master. She had never had intentions of falling in love with Casey, or of having her Spirit claim him as a mate.

Inali Aiden Martin was a young woman just a touch shy of 19 years old. She had joined the academy when she was ten, and passed Cub at 13. While not the most graceful, agile, or strong fighter, she was able to think on her feet and often fought from odd angles or used the terrain to her advantage. She had discovered her arctic fox spirit one year after being trained and found the animal suited her. Inali liked to use words and diplomacy before she used her fists, but she was also able to use her cunning to plan moves and counter her opponents’ strategies. It didn’t always work (more often than not it failed and she had gained many bruises over the years to prove it) but she was still content with her niche. There were too many fast and beautiful fighters in the Academy as it was. Rare was the inexperienced one who could manipulate battles the way she tried.

Tonight, she sat on her favorite stone bench beneath a cherry blossom tree. The bench was situated towards the back of the gardens, and was across from the rear entrance that opened to a breath-taking view of the plains below the mountains where the school was located. The long grasses waved in the breeze, reminding Inali of a sea of plants that led towards the distant horizon where the sun currently set. A playful zephyr found its way up the mountains and ruffled her wavy red hair. Deep glittering sea green eyes opened and squinted into the slowly sinking sun. She huffed as she returned her attention to the matter at hand. 

In the first place, he was her Master. He had been since she had grown from Cub to the next level. Casey was her favorite Master – calm, with a ready smile and patience tinged with intensity whenever the class was learning a new technique. When the students in her class would spar with each other, he would prowl around the edge of the fight, calling encouragement and reminders to the students fighting against each other. She had seen a few upstart students challenge him, but the Tiger master usually put them down quickly, and with a smirk on his handsome face. When his stunning brown eyes would lock with hers, her breath would catch, especially if the smirk or smile was on his lips. 

Secondly, she was positive he didn’t like her back. Though close, as a student-teacher bond would be after five years of training together almost daily, she still felt as though she had only scratched the surface of her Master. He was still youthful himself, in his late 20s, and she knew he was close friends with Lily, the Cheetah Master, and with several other Masters who would be more suited to be his Mate. He looked at her more like a best friend, or a little sister. He definitely cared, but it wasn’t more than that. It wasn’t the same longing, the same lust, the same passion she carried – her presence didn’t bring him serenity or center him.

Casey had never given her reason to believe otherwise.

With a groan, Inali dropped her head into her heads. The great brilliant ball of light was now more than half hidden behind the horizon, and she had to admit it was her favorite time of day. Her gaze focused on the far edge of the sky, saw it turn brilliant red (Casey’s color, always Casey’s color, and it suited him so) as the flames waved goodbye to her side of the world. Inali watched the cool blanket of night creep up behind her and the world settle into twilight. Crickets chirped, birds called softly to each other, and a tenuous sense of peace, fragile and delicate, settled inside her. 

Another breeze danced playfully through the trees, bringing the scent of the object of her affections to her nose. The peace she had tried so hard to find shattered at his masculine earthy scent, spice and wood mixed together. Inali lifted her chin slightly, greedily scenting the wind that continued to blow. The zephyr had come from behind her, and that meant he was on his way or he-

“I thought I’d find you here.”

-was right behind her. 

Inali inhaled deeply, relishing in his scent under the guise of returning to consciousness from a trance. She stood and turned, bowing to him. Those chocolate brown eyes locked with hers and instinct slid her lips into a warm, bright smile, “Hello Master.”

He gave her an answering smile that was just as warm, “You’ve been spending a lot of time here lately.”

Inali felt her smile droop slightly. “Uh, yes. I have.”

Casey prowled towards her, the grace of the tiger in every controlled step. “Is something wrong?”

Inali briefly contemplated being bluntly honest, but discarded that notion just as quickly. As terrible a liar as she was, there was no way she could tell him what was going on with her. “I just am having some trouble finding my spiritual balance recently.”

His eyes were so deep, caring and intense. Her heart fluttered against her chest, and she mentally clamped down as hard as she could on her wily spirit. The Arctic Fox whimpered and strained against her hold, more than eager to cuddle with her chosen mate. How could he not see what he did to her? 

Maybe her Master was more oblivious than she thought. 

“You used to talk to me about everything,” Casey coaxed, and she started when she realized how close he had come. His strong hands landed on her shoulders, gently rubbing them through her tunic. “Is someone bothering you?” His tone had taken on a protective quality. 

She sighed and shook her head. “No it’s . . . I mean . . . my Spirit has been a little more . . . vocal lately. On certain subjects. And it’s one we kinda agree on but . . .”

He watched her patiently. “If you both agree, I don’t see why you’d be failing to find that harmony with your spirit.”

“I said kinda Master,” Inali corrected gently. It was hard to think with his scent wrapping around her, with him being so close and the delectable heat of his body within reach. “I agree with her to an extent, but she wants to push and take things far beyond what is both appropriate and right.”

A beat of silence, then, “Inali, have you ever reached your Heat Cycle?”

Inali reared back, stepping away from the delicious temptation in front of her. “Excuse me?”

The sunlight was nearly gone now, but Inali’s sharp eyesight picked up on the faint red stain on Casey’s cheeks. “Have you gone through the Heat Cycle yet?”

“Master!” Inali squealed slightly, feeling her own cheeks heat up in embarrassment. “That’s . . . that’s private!”

The Heat Cycle was what all female Pai Zhua students were subjected to when their body and spirit reached full maturity. Given how closely they interacted with their animal spirits, it was a chance for both spirit and person to find their opposite half. The spirit or person’s chosen mate was usually the one who could help to balance them. As each person matured at very different times, no one could ever say precisely when a female would hit their respective cycle. The cycles came once every year and lasted between two and four weeks. Once with a mate, the cycles were significantly easier (Inali could recall many nights being forced awake by the rather . . . enthusiastic . . . joining of the two mated students in the room next to hers) on both partners; the unbearable heat flashes and uncontrollable lust could be soothed by a mate. However, while unmated, the female usually caused much fighting and drama amongst the classes and found little to no relief from any sort of sexual activity. Most females, at least during their first Cycle, were removed to a more remote location outside the temple with other females, until the time had passed. 

Inali felt embarrassed Casey would ask this about her – for one thing, she felt inadequate as the last female of her class to NOT have had a Heat Cycle yet, and for another, that could be considered an indication she was looking for someone to settle down with. She certainly was NOT searching for someone like that (because she belonged to Casey, her Arctic Fox spirit whispered smugly), and she hadn’t had any of the other symptoms of the cycle. Amorous dreams involving the Tiger Master aside, there had been no flashes of unbearable heat nor had she gone insane like some of the other females with need, turning them into little more than whores to be used by whomever could mount them. And besides, while Inali knew about sex . . . it was all based on what she had learned from parents and health class before coming to the temple. She was extremely inexperienced in that area and a virgin besides. Casey probably wanted a more experienced partner, should his spirit ever decide to take a mate. 

“Inali,” Casey said firmly, breaking her out of her thoughts. His tone was one he had rarely, if ever, used before on his students. It was commanding, instead of calm and patient, and told her he expected her to answer his question with a mix of exasperation at her actions. “I’m not trying to embarrass you,” he continued. “But if you haven’t, I need to know.”

“Why?” she asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing as she tried to interpret Casey’s question. Her thoughts were still somewhat sluggish, because really all she wanted was to tackle her Master and kiss him until he was as desperately in want as she was (a move her Arctic Fox Spirit demanded she follow immediately), but she still gave an effort. She wasn’t sure she liked where this was going.

“Because if you haven’t, that’s the cause of your issues,” Casey said, and her ears picked up a sharpness and tension that was unfamiliar in his voice. “Now answer me, Inali.”

“. . . . No, not yet,” Inali muttered, looking away as her cheeks darkened. “I haven’t had my first heat cycle yet Master.” Her Arctic Fox Spirit hummed in an amused, knowing way, but Inali paid her little mind, wrapped up as she was in Casey.

She heard him inhale sharply, “I thought so.” He approached her again, tilting her chin up to observe her for a moment.

Silence stretched between them as chocolate warred with sea green, him searching for something and her eyes questioning and more than a little self-conscious given the recent topic of conversation. His scent crept into her nose, and she took vague note that the spices within it were more pronounced, the earthy scent of the forest almost completely eclipsed by it. It was doing funny things to her insides, and a brief wave of cold clarity washed over her. If she wasn’t already in her heat cycle, this would trigger it. Nerves warred inside her and it was almost with relief her eyes sharpened and refocused on his searching gaze that seemed to grow darker by the minute. The clarity faded as she again was wrapped up in him and his presence, her thoughts once more drifting away from her as the world narrowed to him and her.

She began to drown in him, his close proximity making her stomach flip flop in a strange sort of anticipation. It would be so easy, her Arctic Fox Spirit cooed slyly, to just tilt her head slightly and see if his lips were as smooth and gentle as they looked. And who would know? She could blame it on beginning her cycle, and he would understand.  


Inali felt dizzy as their stare off continued, and she freely admitted to herself now that she was drunk on her Master. She wanted, no, she needed him, and desired nothing more than to be his Mate. Her already hazy thoughts became even more so soon after, drifting through her mind and slipping away when she tried to grasp for some lucid thing to hold onto in the swirling maelstrom of chaos that was her mind and heart.

And then time froze at the softest, feather-light brush of his lips on hers.

She couldn’t help the quiet whimper that escaped her as he repeated the action, and she wondered when he had released her chin. Her eyes slid closed and her arms lifted to wrap around his neck and press herself closer to him, feeling his hard body against hers. A pool of warmth grew and settled between her legs, an unfamiliar ache growing as she moaned again into his lips. 

A muted growl reached her ears as his hands moved around her body, one to her upper back and the other to her lower back, anchoring her against him. His kiss, starting so soft and chaste, became hungrier, deeper and harsher. His lips slanted against hers as his tongue slipped past teeth to taste her mouth. Another whimper escaped her and she responded in kind to his aggression, teeth and tongue joining the battle against his own. 

But then she was cold, his warmth pulling away from her. 

Her breaths were little more than pants and gasps for air, her eyes foggy as they opened. Blinking lazily, she cleared her vision just enough to spot her Master, standing with his fists clenched and muscles tensed a little ways from her. His back muscles were tight and she could see strain in every line of his body. Had kissing her been so bad? “Master?” she asked, her voice breathless and dripping with need. 

Had she been able to see herself, she would’ve seen mussed red hair and kiss-swollen lips. Inali would’ve also spotted eyes that were glowing white, the sign to others that her Heat Cycle had triggered. If that didn’t tip them off, however, and had Inali been more aware of her own body and scent, she would’ve captured a whiff of a strangely enticing and alluring aroma drifting from her own body. As it was, she was simply concerned that regret and anger were the cause of tension in her Master, and gave no thought to it being herself. 

“Leave, Inali,” Casey’s voice was also breathless, and the sharpness and rigidity she had noticed earlier (uncharacteristic for her Tiger Master) were even more apparent now. “You have to leave.”

“But . . . why?” Confused and also a teeny bit hurt, she approached him, reaching out to place her hand on his arm. “Master . . .” He felt warm, she noticed before she even touched him. His heat melted into her hand from the air around his arm, and concern again overrode her confusion and hurt. Gently, her hand brushed against his bicep. 

At her touch, she saw him flinch, then whirl around to face her. Startled, Inali shrank away slightly, but he caught and gripped her wrist tightly, and dragged her into the trees that grew among the edges of the garden. Stumbling, Inali saw little as twilight gave way to a hypnotic full moon and a sky filled with stars. Her Master continued to tug her towards the back corner of the gardens, and here, hidden amongst the shadows and multitude of trees, he shoved her against the stone wall. His eyes, his beautiful brown eyes, were glowing red as he snarled and caught her lips again in an abusive embrace. 

His aggression ignited an inferno inside her; Inali felt adrift in the heat that made her blood boil. Pleasure seemed to mix with the pain of the rough stone worn smooth with time at her back and the rough desperation on her lips, creating a euphoric indescribable feeling that was content to send her heart to pounding and turn the pool of warmth that had been simmering since his first kiss into a raging supernova. Growls and moans and whimpers and gasps were the orchestra to their passion; the moon was the only witness, a silent observer to the amorous actions occurring in the corner of the garden.

Her lips were bruised, she was certain of it. Casey seemed to instinctively know this, as his mouth left hers to trail hot open kisses down her cheek to her neck. He nipped, licked, and suckled the sensitive skin there, drawing more moans from her throat and eager squirming from the rest of her body. The ache at the apex of her thighs was nearly unbearable now. At a particularly rough nip on her sensitive skin, a wordless cry escaped her lips and her hips bucked hard against him.

His response was to turn his attention to the other side of her neck and to shift his weight, pushing one leg to spread hers slightly. The pressure from his knee pushing up against her most secret of areas had Inali gasping, sparks flying through her vision and a strange sort of slickness making itself known to her. Slowly, he ground his leg against her and Inali thought she would combust from the dizzying amount of pleasure burning in her body. 

She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. The pressure of his leg was divine but she still ached so badly for something more. Inali knew she needed to be sated, she needed to find the end of the overwhelming heights he was pushing her towards, with his tongue and his lips working towards her chest and collarbones and his hands still pinning her wrists and his leg between hers. “C-casey . . . Master . . . please . . .” words spilled from her lips, in a whisper that lazily slid into his ear. 

Thin red rings pulsed until red blended perfectly with brown as he lifted his head to lock his gaze to hers. She quivered against him, feeling rather like prey under his predatory stare. Strong fingers slid down her arms and torso, and under her tunic top. The nimble digits snaked easily into her loose pants and inside her underwear. In her normal frame of mind, Inali would’ve smacked anyone for trying to touch her there, but now, all she felt was a wave of far more intense satisfaction as his fingers began to play with her clit.

“Oh . . . oh gods . . .” she trembled against him, his eyes pinning her to the wall as surely as his body did. Skilled fingers slipped through her wetness, sometimes stroking at the small bundle of nerves that made her hips buck into his hand and sometimes teasing the place that ached the most by far. Eventually, one nimble finger slid down a little further, and then inside the place that seemed to radiate a desperate need to be filled.

It was, Inali would reflect later, an odd feeling of having something inside of her womanhood. Still, odd and foreign it may have been, it also provided a huge wave of gratification, a sort of easing of the need that had plagued her since she caught his scent earlier. And then he pulled out (causing a whine of protest to fall from her lips) and slid the finger back in, setting a slow and deep pace, and Inali lost her mind. 

Her head fell back as he continued to move his finger, her hips picking up the rhythm with ease and riding his hand in a dance older than time itself. It just felt so good, and the pressure and warmth and it was all spiraling closer together, over and over and she was so close to something, some sort of release of this madness and his hand picked up speed, a sloppy slick sound that was so dirty but only heightened what she felt and-

His lips were on hers a mere second before a scream ripped itself from her throat, virginal muscles clamping down on his finger and milking it hard at she spilled her juices onto him. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was a bright light, and then her eyes closed. Her body shook for a moment before wobbling and collapsing into his. 

0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0

Inali’s eyes snapped open, sitting straight up from her previous prone position. She was back in her room, on the simple bed provided for her by the school. The scent of honeysuckle drifted from plants of the same name nearby, along with the peaceful scent of mint from the herbs she grew by the window. Sunlight crept into her window, warm rays heating the relatively bare room with ease. Looking down, she found herself garbed in the traditional plain black trousers and loose black tunic top that most students wore to bed. 

Had it all been a dream then? Had she merely imagined Casey’s lips on hers, his warm touch on her skin? The thought made her feel sick – both because she had desired it so much and because if it hadn’t been real she rather thought she might cry. It hadn’t been soft and gentle but it had been perfect. 

Glancing at the sun slowly breaking the horizon, Inali slowly stood from her bed and dressed herself in the appropriate uniform before leaving her quarters. Today was the day that classes would begin late – it was expected that this time would be used for independent studies. Instead of seeking out Casey as she usually would, Inali took her breakfast in the small communal eating room. The plain wooden tables and chairs were spattered with only a few bleary eyed students and Elder Masters, those of venerable wisdom and who were truly in tune with their animal spirits. She quietly nibbled on the cool cheese and fruits provided before washing the meal down with a glass of water.

Breakfast finished, she wandered out onto the grounds, her feet guiding her in the direction of the gardens. Her mind turned back to the haziness of last night, the pleasure at her Master’s hands and the deep-seated desire to find it again from him and only him as his Mate. Of course, just because her spirit had chosen him didn’t mean he reciprocated her choice, although it seemed he did if his reactions last night were anything to go by. However, hadn’t she established earlier that it was a dream? That she just had an overactive imagination as she slumbered? 

And speaking of her spirit, the Arctic Fox had been super chatty last night – now she didn’t seem to be present at all in her mind. Reaching out mentally, Inali sought the familiar brush of contact and found nothing at all, which bothered her but only slightly. Her contact with her Spirit was both unstable and unpredictable. Sometimes weeks would pass without a word from her fox spirit, and sometimes they would have multiple conversations for many days. She supposed it was a sign she needed to train harder, but Inali suspected that either the Fox knew what happened last night (the truth of it anyways) and didn’t want to tell her or that the Fox didn’t know either and was currently dealing with the potential backlash from such a dream. Still, she wished for her spirit’s knowledge and wisdom now, when she herself was so unsure.

After what felt like hours to her dazed mind, she finally reached the gardens. Inali’s lips pulled into a frown as she stood at the entrance, eyeing it with a sense of dread. Did she really want to go back in there? What would she do if she DID find evidence of their tryst? If she couldn’t find any evidence? Inali pondered for a moment before shaking off her doubt; she would deal with whatever she found. Swallowing nervously, she inhaled a deep breath and firmly strode through the wooden entrance. 

The trees and plants greeted her with the same lazy sort of zen she appreciated and tried so hard to find in herself without much success. The early sun’s rays danced across the leaves, which playfully responded by waving in the gentle breezes racing through the area. Inali slowly walked further into the gardens, pausing to inhale deeply every so often. 

To her partially relief, she was unable to catch any lingering hint of her Master’s scent. That was a strong indicator she had indeed dreamed the encounter. Numbly, Inali continued to her favorite bench that peered through the rear entrance and faced the far-off horizon. She sat down, feeling the cool stone underneath her legs.  


For once, she was only too glad to go through the exercises to calm her mind and remove the present thoughts that troubled her now. Though difficult to focus on absolutely nothing, especially considering how shaken up she truly was, Inali was slowly able to let go of the stress and worry she was feeling. In the absence of those feelings, the Arctic Fox Spirit wielder found a sort of relaxed focus, and she lazily opened her eyes.

Only to yelp and fall backwards off the bench she sat on when greeted with a very close pair of chocolate brown eyes. 

Casey laughed quietly, his tenor voice a welcome addition to the natural sounds she heard in the gardens. “You need to be more alert, Inali,” he scolded in a teasing manner. “What if I had been an enemy?”

She glared up at him from the ungraceful sprawl she currently preoccupied on the ground. “I wasn’t expecting to be attacked in the gardens,” she snapped, awkwardly moving her limbs to the side and sitting up.

“Always be alert,” Casey’s grin hadn’t left his face, and his rebuke was gentle, but Inali wasn’t in the mood for their normal banter.

“Yeah, okay,” she muttered, standing and dusting herself off. Casey also stood from where he’d been kneeling in front of her previous spot. Inali’s eyes were drawn to him, as always, but this time she clenched her jaw and forced her eyes away, “Apologies Master.”

He watched her for a moment, and then moved around the bench to enter her personal space. “Inali?”

“Yes Master?” She determinedly kept her eyes on the ground. He was already wreaking enough havoc on her for one day and it wasn’t even time for the mid-day meal. 

“Look at me,” his response wasn’t a request.

Her sea green eyes flicked upwards to lock onto his. “Yes Master?”

“You seem upset,” he observed, reaching a hand forward. For a moment, Inali thought he would rest his hand on her cheek, but it landed on her shoulder instead. Warmth spread through her from the point of contact.

“I just . . . am troubled by something,” Inali murmured shyly. 

“Did something happen?” she swore she saw a mischievous, sly smirk on his handsome lips.

“I am unsure if it happened or I dreamt it,” she admitted. “I am hoping it actually happened but . . . it seems I was mistaken.”

“I see,” Casey murmured. 

“I want it to be real, so badly,” she whispered, unable to stop the moisture beginning to pool in her eyes as it fully impacted her – she had dreamt it or she would’ve found his scent earlier as she trouped through the gardens. It hurt, surprisingly enough; she wanted that intimacy and desire and had for a long time with her Master. Even if it wasn’t real, to have a taste of it and then it be snatched away was really cruel.

A soft chuckle broke her from her thoughts, and she glared through the tears at her Master. “What’s so funny?” she demanded. “I don’t like being laughed at Master!”

“I’m not laughing at you,” Casey corrected her immediately, his hand drifting to her cheek and brushing against it gently. “It was real Inali.”

She blinked, certain she’d misheard him. “I . . . what?”

“I was laughing because I thought you were joking,” he explained, somewhat sheepishly. “Last night did happen.”

“You . . . you’re serious?” Inali gaped. Her gaze searched his, determined to find any hint of falsehood, and found only truth shining from his brown orbs.

“Yes,” his eyes, now that she really examined them, held warmth and hunger, a tender sort of combination that re-ignited the burn in her lower tummy and spread a euphoric sort of joy through her. “I half thought you were joking, and half thought you were rejecting me there for a moment.”

“Never,” she swore, her hand reaching up to caress his. “My Spirit has wanted you as a Mate for a long while now, and I had a crush on you for longer than that.” She felt as though her cheeks should burn under such an admission but she really couldn’t find it in herself to be embarrassed by her confession. He needed to know, needed to understand, just how long she had wanted this.

“A crush?” he stepped closer to her, leaning his head down so their tones were little more than whispers. “You don’t say . . .”

“You’re kind, patient, and know the proper balance between yourself and your spirit,” Inali murmured softly. She didn’t want to do anything that would break the spell slowly weaving itself around them, where the world narrowed to him and her and little else. “At the same time, you command attention and respect, you’re goofy and you can be stubborn at times.” Her lips curled into a smile. “Not to mention I find you extremely attractive.”

“You’re quick witted and try to use peace before fighting,” he replied. “I think you’re beautiful and I love your fiery temper and big heart. You can be just as stubborn and I know you don’t practice as much as you should . . . despite my constant asking you to do so.” Here his lips curved into an answering smile. “You’ve been in my head for a long time, and I wanted to wait for your Heat Cycle before determining if we were compatible as mates.”

She blinked up at him, a faint look of surprise entering her eyes. “Master Lily said you were oblivious to girls.”

“Lily was wrong,” he chuckled again, softer and more gentle this time, “I’m well aware of other women. I just never found the one my spirit and I could agree on.”

“Oh . . .” Inali murmured.

“Inali,” he whispered, his eyes darting down to her lips before flitting back up to her eyes. 

“Casey,” she answered, leaning forward and closing the distance between their mouths.

It was slow and deep, a soft pressure and slow burn that slid through her with each brush. Her arms reached up to twine behind his neck and his arms slipped to her back, anchoring her to him. Their kisses were languid, taking their time to simply enjoy the feelings coursing through them. Passion had come earlier and would undoubtedly come again later, but for now, this kiss was enough.

Inali knew that the road ahead would be filled with different sorts of obstacles as she and Casey learned even more about each other. She also knew she was ready to fight – what she had longed for, for such a time, had finally happened and she was going to hold tight and never give up.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! I did this because well . . . I have a thing for Casey. I don't know why. So I made this little ditty.


End file.
